This description relates to automatically controlling a processor mode of a multi-core processor according to the operating state of a system.
A conventional portable computer system having a multi-core processor includes a processor (CPU) containing cores, a video controller, a main memory, a north bridge for controlling the main memory, an input/output (I/O) controller, a south bridge which is a collection of registers which manage an input/output function of peripheral devices, a hard disk drive (HDD), a keyboard controller, and a power controller. The power controller is connected to the operating system of the computer system, the processor (CPU), and a core chipset, so as to control the power supplied to each core.
The conventional computer system, which uses a processor containing two or more cores, supports a single-core mode to operate only one of the cores and a multi-core mode to operate all of the cores in relation to the power management mode of the processor. The multi-core processor typically consumes greater power than a single-core processor performing the same system operations. The power consumption reduces the available operating time of a battery, such as in a portable computer.
In the conventional computer system having a multi-core processor, power management is performed by either setting a single-core mode or a multi-core mode in the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) setup of the system. Once the power management mode of a processor is set, the system is restarted in order to change the setup state and power management mode of the processor.